News

Three geographers win national teaching awards

Hagelman

Lu

Romig

July 2, 2012—Three geographers at Texas State University-San Marcos have won the prestigious Distinguished Teaching Award for 2012 from the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE). Now in its 97th year, NCGE supports the teaching of geographic education throughout the United States and around the world.

Drs. Ronald Hagelman, Yongmei Lu, and Kevin Romig, all Associate Professors of Geography, will receive their awards in October at the NCGE national meeting, which is being hosted by the Texas State Department of Geography at the San Marcos Convention Center.

NCGE ordinarily gives the Distinguished Teaching Award annually to a college or university professor natiowide who has demonstrated excellence in teaching geography.

“For three professors from one department to have won the award in a single year is unprecedented,” said Dr. Philip Suckling, Chair of Geography at Texas State.

“We are very proud of Drs. Hagelman, Lu, and Romig,” Suckling continued. “These honors recognize their teaching excellence and the strength of our academic and research programs overall. These awards are the 17th, 18th, and 19th such awards in the history of our department. No other geography department has won even half that many.”

Hagelman (PhD 2001, Texas State University-San Marcos) joined the Geography faculty in 2006. His research interests include environmental geography, hazards and disasters, historical geography, land management and conservation, and urban environment and agriculture.

Lu (PhD 2001, State University of New York-Buffalo) joined the Geography faculty in 2001. Her research interests include Geographic Information Science; urban and regional issues related to the environment, health, crime, and transportation; and the geography of China and East Asia.

Romig (PhD 2004, Arizona State University) joined the Geography faculty in 2006. His research interests include urbanization, community and citizenship issues, sense of place, educational technology, and qualitative methods.